The first 2 seconds decide whether anyone sees the rest of your video. On TikTok, Reels, and Shorts, the hook is the ad. Everything after it is a reward for the people who stayed.
Most hook lists are written for consumer products. These 15 are built for software and AI, grouped by the job they do, with real examples from campaigns running now. Use them as starting points for creators, not scripts.
What makes a good tech hook
- It names the viewer or their problem. "If you still build reports by hand" filters in the right people.
- It creates a gap. The viewer needs to watch to close it.
- It gets to the screen fast. In most winning tech videos, the product is on screen within 5 seconds.
- It sounds like a person. Written copy read aloud always sounds like an ad.
Hooks from the Juno campaign
Regen runs Juno's Canvas UGC programme. Juno is an AI coworker that connects to your tools and works on growth tasks around the clock. These 4 hooks came from 4 different creators in the same network.
1. The warning
Example: "DON'T start UGC if you're not ready for this."
A warning makes the viewer check whether it applies to them. It works best when the warning targets an ambition your audience already has.
2. The replacement claim
Example: "One tool = full marketing team."
Tells the viewer what they could stop paying for or doing. The creator then cuts to the Juno homepage and shows the first step. Bold, so it needs to be backed up on screen straight away.
3. The over-the-top reaction
Example: "I could literally KISS the business owner that showed me this."
Emotion first, explanation second. A big reaction earns 2 seconds of curiosity, and the screen recording of Juno's playbooks pays it off.
4. The price anchor
Example: a creator shows enterprise social listening tools priced at £8,000 to £16,000+ a year, then shows Juno producing the report "for FREE".
Anchor on the expensive alternative, then reveal the cheaper route. Works for any product that replaces costly software or services.
Hooks from other tech campaigns
5. The POV
Example: "POV: you ask your AI employee for the Monday report at 9:04." (from the Viktor Creator Program brief)
Drops the viewer into a familiar moment. Viktor's brief pairs it with 3 rules: open on the ask with no intro, screen-record the real thing, and end on the finished work long enough to read.
6. The reaction cut
Example: a 1 to 2 second shocked reaction, then a hard cut to the screen.
According to Social Growth Engineers, this was the leading format in Cantina's ambassador programme, which passed 139 million views. The reaction does the hooking. The screen recording does the selling.
7. The agency killer
Example: "This AI just did what my agency charged me £3,000 a month for."
One of the hook types Passionbits identified across Vibiz's creator network. It speaks directly to the cost anxiety of small business owners.
8. The output reveal
Example: "I typed 1 sentence and got this."
Lead with the result, then show how. Perfect for visual AI products like Krea, where the output is more impressive than any claim.
Problem hooks
9. The callout
Example: "If you still copy numbers out of 4 tools every Monday, watch this."
10. The confession
Example: "I wasted 6 hours a week on this before I found out it could be automated."
11. The mistake
Example: "3 mistakes I made setting up our CRM that cost us deals."
Curiosity hooks
12. The secret tool
Example: "The tool our ops team uses that nobody talks about."
13. The test
Example: "I gave 3 AI note-takers the same meeting. 1 of them missed everything."
Comparisons attract viewers who are already choosing. Keep them fair, and make it clear who is behind the video. More on this in UGC Examples: 9 Formats B2B and SaaS Brands Can Copy.
Proof hooks
14. The before and after
Example: "Our onboarding checklist before and after we automated it."
15. The number
Example: "This cut our month-end close from 3 days to 1."
Specific numbers beat adjectives. Only use numbers you can stand behind.
How to test hooks
- Keep the body, change the opening. Film 1 video with 3 to 5 different first lines. It's the cheapest test you can run.
- Test across creators. The same hook from 3 creators tells you whether it's the line or the person.
- Measure hook rate. 3-second views divided by impressions shows which openings stop the scroll. Our guide to measuring UGC covers the full set.
- Replicate winners fast. When 1 creator's hook breaks out, the whole network should test it the following week. This is the core loop of Canvas UGC.
- Retire hooks that fade. Hooks wear out. Keep a bank of fresh ones.
Get the hooks working for your product
Every Regen creator starts with a pack of more than 100 tested hooks, and our weekly hook reports show which ones are winning across the network. We run Canvas UGC for SaaS, AI, and tech companies, including Juno. See more real campaigns in UGC Ads Examples, find out about our creator partnerships service, or book a strategy call.
UGC hooks FAQ
How long should a UGC hook be?
1 to 3 seconds, usually a single sentence or a visual moment. If the viewer doesn't know why they should keep watching by second 3, most of them won't.
Should hooks be written or spoken?
Both. Say it out loud and put it on screen as text, so it works with the sound off.
How many hooks should I test?
At least 3 to 5 per video concept. In a volume programme, you'll test dozens a week across the network.
Do hooks work the same on LinkedIn?
The principle is the same, but the tone changes. On LinkedIn, the first line of text above the "see more" cut-off is your hook, and it can be more direct and professional.
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